Why do socks vanish in the washing machine?

Answer 1

father christmas nicks them to hang on poor kids chimneys for their presents

Answer 2

They never disappear as a pair. Only one out of two vanishes, and those that are left single are totally incompatible with any of the others. It is the fault of the great-sock-hiding gremlin. A good search around the bedroom, under the bed, in the sock drawer ,in the travelling bag, and in the empty machine drum usually yields results, but socks also have a curious habit of hiding in pillow cases, duvets covers, shirt sleeves, and larger garments and reappear at the ironing stage. No ironing, no stray sock discovered for a while, by which time its twin has been binned. It is a fact of life.

Answer 3

Ah, the single sock mystery.

I wear them together, take them off together, into the laundry basket together...somehow between the laundry basket and the drawer, at least one sock a month disappears.

My theory is that there is a thriving black market for single socks, and that the laundry machine manufacturers are all in cahoots. I think they hide some sort of device in our laundry equipment that spirits off a sock or so a month, no so much that we'd get suspicious, for sale or trade on the black market.

It's such a shame...there are so many better uses for that technology!!

Answer 4

Two possibilities: one, the sock got caught in the seal or filter, and may be in the exhaust duct or in the workings of the dryer.

OR... there's a rotating static electro-magnetic field being generated by the dryer that's opening a door to a parallel dimension. No doubt someone or some-thing over there is wondering what all of those strangely shaped items are for!

Answer 5

My cat sometimes eats mine..

But seriously, I find most of my 'vanished' socks around the washing area, behind the washer/dryer, under the washer, and all over the house when I clean. I blame the cat for the last one. He really does nick them for a nibble.

Be careful with the saftey pin tip. I've had cheap pins rust.

Answer 6

Because of the sock monster!! I can't believe you didn't know that! There is a little monster that sneaks into your washing machine. He travels through the drain pipes and sneaks in and grabs at least one of your socks leaving you with only one sock or that odd pair you always wear and hope that nobody notices!! When your machine starts its drain cycle he exits the machine the way he came in..............through the drain pipes. There we go your question has been answered! :-)

Answer 7

Stone,

The washer doesn't eat your socks; the dryer does. At the back of the dryer, there is a small crack between the back and the drum. Socks, change and anything else in your pockets fall between the crack and get stuck in the bottom of the dryer.

If you would like to get your socks back, try using a putty knife to pop the service panel off of your dryer (located under the dryer door).

Answer 8

After you've taken all your washing out, spin the drum round, & you may find a sock drops down. I have a very bad temper, so none of my socks would dare go missing!!! If you find an odd sock, keep it as a spare in case you lose another one - although I doubt it will the same one as the spare one!!!

Answer 9

The sock companies paid off the washer companies to make this feature so that you hardly ever find a match and then have to go out and buy more socks.

Answer 10

Iknow what you mean. You can get a drawstring bag to put socks and any small items in. You put the bag inside the washing machine, thus avoiding blockages.

Answer 11

They build up static electricity, especially in the dryer, and stick to other clothes. In novelty stores you can get small plastic rings with inward-facing prongs...each ring holds a pair of socks...less likely to lose and easy to match up to put away.